The purpose of a legal description is to describe a parcel of land with sufficient detail that it will be accepted by a
court of law
A survey is
a drawing of a parcel of land showing its boundary lines.
The -------- method is the oldest method of legal description
metes and bounds
A metes and bounds description begins and ends at the
point of beginning
What is the opposite of N45W?
S45E
What is the opposite of S15E
N15W
Write the following legal description in numbers and symbols: North 15 degrees 25 minutes 20 seconds West.
N15 25 20 W
The section number immediately north of section 36 is section
25
The section number immediately south of section 36 is section
1
Platted subdivisions are divided into
lots and blocks
Tax maps are based on recorded
plat maps
The following three types of legal descriptions are used today
metes-and-bounds
government survey system
lot and block
Is the most accurate method to describe both regularly and irregularly shaped parcels.
Metes-and-bounds
This method is based on distances
metes
This method is based on directions
bounds
Metes-and-bounds descriptions begin and end with a starting point called
a point of beginning (POB)
Corners of parcels of land are identified using markers called
monuments
The government survey system method of legal description relies on intersecting
north-south and east-west lines that form a grid system
In Florida, the Tallahassee principal meridian and base line intersect in
Tallahassee
The principal meridian runs
north-south
and the base line runs
east-west
A series of lines parallel to the principal meridian were established every six miles forming six-miles wide strips that run north and south and are called
ranges
Parallel lines established every six miles on either side of the base line form east-west strips of land called
tiers or townships
Township also describes as a squares
is six miles on each side (six miles square) and contains 36 square miles (36 sections)
A section is a square that is
one mile on each side (one mile square) and contains one square mile or 640 acres.
Sections are numbered within a township in an
S pattern, beginning at the top right corner and numbered right to left (sections one through six), then the next row of sections is numbered left to right (sections seven through 12), and so on.
To calculate the acreage in a government survey legal description
multiply the denominators of each fraction together and then divide 640 by the result
If the word and appears in the description, calculate the acreage
on each side of the word and separately and then add the two acreages together
Lot and block descriptions are used
where plat maps of single-family subdivisions have been recorded in the public records
The platted subdivision is divided into
blocks, and each parcel within the block is a lot
The NW1/4 of the NE1/4 of the SW1/4, section 20, Township 4 south, Range 2 East describes a tract of
a) .125 acre
b) .5 acre
c. 10 acres
d 64 acres
c. 10 acres
Calculate the number of acres contained in the following legal description: NE1/4 of the SE1/4 of the SE1/4 and the SE1/4 of the NE1/4 and the N1/2 of the NE1/4
a. 30 acres
b. 80 acres
c. 120 acres
d. 160 acres
d. 160 acres
In the metes-and bounds method of description,
a. metes refers to distance and bounds refers to distance
b. metes refers to distance and bounds refers to directions
c. metes refers to distance and bounds refers to measurement
d. metes refers to metric and bounds refers to boundaries
b. metes refers to distance and bounds refers to directions
The government survey system is especially adapted to describing
a. lots in platted subdivisions
b. odd-shaped tracts of land carved out of former land grants
c. land in concise symbols and words
d. parcels with man-made or natural physical features
c. land in concise symbols and words
What is the designation of a township located three township tiers south of the base line and five ranges east of the principal meridian?
a. R3S, T5E
b. T3S, R5E
c. R7E, T2S
d. T3N, R5E
b. T3S, R5E
A check is a square with each side measuring
a. 1 miles
b. 6 miles
c. 24 miles
d. 36 miles
c. 24 miles
The tract of land located inside a square formed by intersecting range lines and township line is called
a. an acre
b. a check
c. a section
d. a township
d. a township
The vertical strip of land six miles wide beginning at the principal meridian and extending six miles east along the length of the principal meridian is called
a. Range 1 East
b. Township 1 East
c. Tier 1 East
d. Section 6
a. Range 1 East
If you have located a township designated as T1N, R1E, the township due north of that township is
a. T1N, R2E
b. T1S, R1E
c. T2N, R1E
d. T2N, R2E
c. T2N, R1E
Which statement is False concerning townships?
a. A township contains 36 sections
b. A township contains 36 square miles
c. A township is 6 miles square
d. A township contains 36 acres
d. A township contains 36 acres
In writing the legal description of a section, which is the standard sequence?
a. Range number, township number, section number
b. Section number, township number, range number
c. Township number, range number, section number
d. Section number, range number, township number
b. Section number, township number, range number
The north boundary of section 36, township 1 south, range 1 west is located
a. 6 miles south of the principal meridian
b. 35 miles west of the base line
c. 25 miles west of the principal meridian
d. 5 miles south of the base line
d. 5 miles south of the base line
A legal description that reads, in part, "the north one-half of the northeast one-quarter of the northwest one-quarter section 12, township 42 south, range 12 east" describes a tract of
a. 2.5 acres
b. 5 acres
c. 10 acres
d. 20 acres
d. 20 acres
A man owned the NW1/4 of a section. He sold the W1/2 of that NW1/4. How many acres does the man still own?
a. 40 acres
b. 80 acres
c. 160 acres
d. 640 acres
b. 80 acres
Plat maps used in the lot and block method of legal descriptions show
a. the grid system of government squares
b. dimensions of streets and planned improvements
c. the numerical street address for each lot
d. distance and direction from the point of beginning
b. dimensions of streets and planned improvements